JOHN HENRY insists winning the Premier League title is unrealistic this season as Liverpool FC are “years behind” their rivals.

Kenny Dalglish’s side have made an impressive start to the campaign with seven points from the opening three games.

However, the principal owner says champions Manchester United remain the team to beat and Liverpool’s priority is getting back into the top four.

“Manchester United has done an incredible job of building a young, talented, deep squad,” he said. “I watched a number of their pre-season matches and they seemed in top form even then. We’ve just begun to build and are years behind them so we don’t expect this to be our year to win the Premier League.

“Manchester City seem to have unlimited spending restraint and want all-star quality at each position. That will be hard to beat. This year our goal is to get back to the Champions League.

“This is a club with a history in European competition and people throughout the world yearn for European nights.

“That’s our first goal. But it won’t be at all easy and no one is expecting that as there are six big clubs – among the best in Europe – fighting for four spots.”

Henry has sanctioned more than £100m worth of signings since Fenway Sports Group bought Liverpool last October.

Eyebrows were raised at some of the fees the Reds paid but the American insists they got value for money.

“Everyone seemed to think that Liverpool was over-valuing British players this summer,” he said. “But when the Premier League has the whole world to choose players from and there is a substantial homegrown rule, British players are going to be highly valued.

“Look at the prices paid this year for (Connor) Wickham and (Alex) Chamberlain. At Liverpool we have purchased each player for a different reason and are headed in a different direction.”

Henry admits FSG took on a major rebuilding job after the dismal previous regime of Tom Hicks and George Gillett.

“For a number of years players of quality were being sold and players of lesser quality were being purchased,” he said.

“The club wasn’t being run by people with the kind of discipline it takes to be successful over the long term. It’s odd to be criticised by some who think we are overspending. The worry seemed to be that we wouldn’t spend.

“But we’ve been consistent, we intend to strengthen this club annually but that doesn’t mean we will deficit spend. It’s up to us to strengthen revenues. Only then will we be strong enough to compete in Europe.”

Meanwhile, Henry admits Liverpool’s global search for a naming rights partner for a new stadium in Stanley Park is ongoing.

“We would love to expand Anfield, but there are enough local and regulatory issues to keep that avenue stalled for years with no assurances that once begun it would bear any fruit,” he added. “If Anfield cannot be expanded a new stadium is a wonderful choice. But the fact is we already have 45,000 seats. If a new stadium is constructed with 60,000 seats you’ve spent an incredible sum of money to add just 15,000 seats.

“If the cost is £300m for an extra 15,000 seats, that doesn’t make any sense at all.”

Everton chairman Bill Kenwright recently suggested Henry was keen on a ground-share with the Blues but Henry insists it’s not on the agenda. “I’ve seen a lot of talk recently about ground-sharing, but our position hasn’t changed,” he said.

“There’s no doubt that if a new stadium were to be built in Liverpool from a financial perspective – which is the major issue – a ground-share would be helpful for both clubs.

“But there doesn’t seem to be any support for that from Red or Blue fans – at all.